30 Earth Day Crafts That Are so Genius Your Kids Will Obsess Over Them

April 22 of every year is GreenCitizen’s anniversary, but it’s also designated Earth Day, and people from all over the world take the time to do something meaningful for the planet and the environment.

While I believe every single day should be Earth Day, it’s important to have a designated date each year to work as a reminder.

But what should you do on April 22 or any other day you want to do something nature-inspired?

As a parent, I always try to fill leisure time with my kids coming up with a new art project. And my weekly search has resulted in a long list of Earth Day crafts for kids that can bring lots of fun for the whole family.

Whether you’re catering for kindergarten, preschool, or even the inner child of an adult, these are fun and easy projects that aim to use as many recycled materials as possible to help the earth. 

30 Best Earth Day Crafts for Kids

Here are 30 of our favorite Earth Day crafts and activities.

1. The Bug Motel

One of my favorite Earth Day crafts for kids is constructing a bug hotel. All you need are small branches and a few pinecones. Stuff them tightly into a cut open empty plastic bottle, hang it from a tree and wait for bugs to find a new home.

2. Moss Balls

This is another one of those easy Earth Day activities for preschoolers who like to get their hands dirty. Simply gather up some moss and gently form it into a ball and wrap some wool around it.

3. Paper Bag Canvas

Rather than reach for clean sheets of paper, upcycle those grocery store paper bags and make them into a simple Earth Day art canvas.

4. Egg Carton Trees

This is one of the simplest Earth Day crafts ideal for preschoolers. Cut out and paint egg cartons and stick them to a piece of paper. Then paint a trunk and your Earth Day craft is ready.

5. Colorful Suncatchers

They might look like stained glass sun catchers, but they use wax paper and look amazing when you hang them in your windows on Earth Day.

6. Upcycled Desk Organizer

If your kid has a messy desk, gather up old metal cans and paint them in bright colors. Make sure there are no sharp edges, and then use them for storing pens.

7. Wildflower Seed Bombs

Pick up a large box of flower seeds at a garden center and some torn-up scraps of tissue paper on Earth Day. Put them in a blender with some water, let them dry and then scatter them around a garden and wait for them to germinate.

8. Upcycled Maze

Gather recycled materials like cardboard, newspaper or any used paper, and drinking straws. Arrange them all into a maze and then simply add a marble for a homemade game.

9. Recycled Quilt

Any clothing items that you no longer use and that aren’t suitable for donation can be stitched up into a quilt. This Earth Day craft might be a project for older kids and not preschoolers.

10. Fairy House

Preschoolers and kindergarten kids will love this project on Earth Day. All you need are some empty plastic bottles, cut out a window and door on them, and let kids decorate them.

11. Upcycled Garden Seating

If you have an old tire, then paint it in a bright color and find a round cushion that fits on top. It’s perfect for kids to enjoy more nature time during Earth Day.

12. Wild Nature Wreath

I originally got this idea from I Heart Crafty Things, and it couldn’t be easier. On Earth Day, head out on a nature walk and collect plants and flowers. Then attach them to some braided twine to form the wreath.

13. Aluminum Recycling Organizer

Stick some old aluminum cans to a box and keep them in a convenient place in your home. Then gather all aluminum cans in this box and, once full, bring them to a recycling center.

14. Paper-Mache Pots

This is another Earth Day idea for preschoolers to get messy. All you need for these pots is an old newspaper or any used paper, magazines, and some glue, and you have hours of kids’ entertainment.

15. Plastic Bottle Bird Feeder

All you need is a plastic bottle, some string, and a pack of seeds to make a bird feeder. It’s one way to combine Earth Day crafts with exploring wildlife. 

16. Newspaper Birds

This Earth Day craft project is simple for young preschoolers. Take an old newspaper and cut it into the shape of birds, then color it with as many ideas as you can think of.

17. Homemade Hanging Garden

On Earth Day, gather up some recycled materials, including a plastic bottle and an old piece of cable. Cut a hole into the side of the bottle, fill it with compost and plant some flowers.

18. Shaving Cream Glue

Many kids’ crafts and activities involve glue, but this one is unique. By mixing shaving cream, glue, and paint, you can get some amazing textures in your Earth Day artwork.

19. Upcycled Terrariums

An empty clear plastic bottle is ideal for growing plants in a greenhouse-type way. With just a bit of compost and some seeds, even preschoolers can do this Earth Day craft.

20. Earth Day Popcorn

For some healthy Earth Day activities, create snacks for kids to enjoy — all you need are some popcorn and food coloring.

21. Flower Art Project

If the weather doesn’t allow you outside on Earth Day, then gather up some recycled materials like magazines and newspapers. Cut them up into shapes and stick them on paper for some simple process art.

22. Tissue Paper Earth

Here’s another simple project for preschoolers to do. All you need is a few sheets of toilet tissue paper and watercolors, and you’re good to go.

23. Multi-Colored Crayons

Don’t throw out those small bits of leftover crayons. My children love to place them in a jar and then gently melt them into one large multi-colored crayon.

24. Plastic Bottle Cap Art

Collecting bottle caps throughout the year can give you a great resource for making all types of different patterns in a hugely creative way.

25. Pasta World Map

Create a fun map of the world with different shapes of pasta and plenty of color to get kids interested in the geography of the earth.

26. Pebble Art

These are fun activities for young kids on Earth Day and they involve gathering up some pebbles and painting them. Then glue them to some recycled cardboard for maximum impact.

27. Magazine Art

This Earth Day craft idea is ideal for older kids. Simply cut out colorful magazine or newspaper pages and shape them into images of nature. 

28. Plantable Paper Earth

Similar to seed bombs, this project allows you to create an earth-shaped paper seed tray with wildflowers and herbs.

29. Paper Plate Earth Craft

Paper plates are ideal for younger kids to start with an earth-shaped canvas, and all they need is some inspiration to create some colorful art. 

30. Upcycling Art Wall

This is one of those Earth Day crafts that are ideal for kindergarten kids to continuously expand on their wall art by adding new pieces like toilet rolls and egg cartons every day.

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed this blog post on Earth Day crafts for kids and that you’ll get some enjoyment out of these ideas.

Whether you’re entertaining kindergarten or preschool children, there is no shortage of activities and crafts ideas to keep everyone entertained on a minimal budget.